Hand tool



March 1954 E. c. APPLEGATE 2,670,5

HAND TOOL Filed March 51, 1952 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA' Illllll.

Patented Mar. 2, 1954 ITED TATES PATENT OFF! CE HAND TOOL Earl C ..:Applegate, Chicagmlil. Application March '31, 1952 SeriaiNo. 279,673

"7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in hand tools of the type wherein an abrasive coatedstrip er sandpaper-or the like is held against the working face of a holder shaped to conveniently lit the handlo'f the user.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, sturdy tool of this character which is readily grasped and to'which the strip of sandpaper or thel'ike may be applied quickly-in a manner to be firmly held in desired position.

Other objects and advantages will "become apparent as this description progresses and by reference to the drawing wherein:

Fig.;1 is=a side 'elevational view .of a teol-em- *boiiying the features of this invention.

"Fig; 2 is an end elevation of-the same looking from the left of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary-sidelelevational view showing a slight modification 'of the right end portion of the tool illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig 5 isa-side elevational view of a further modified form .of tool according to this invention.

'6 isa fragmentary top planview of the 'end portion appearing :at the right .o'fLFig. 5.

In .the form shown in Figs. .1 to 4 inclusive, the tool comprises an elongated block having aflat bottom face Ill of generally rectangular plan-and parallel side faces 'I I and J2 rising upwardly from oppositelongitudinal edges of the bottom .face 10. Reference numeral I3 designates a transverse end face with which the bottom .face ID is joined to form an outwardly convex'ly curved junction. The endnof the block opposite said end face I3 is defined by a relatively low face portion I4 risin perpendicularly from the bottom face and an inwardly offset face portion joined at its base with tlre upper limits of the "face portion M by an upwardly facing ledge 16. The upper edges of the side faces II and I2 are joined by an upper face H, with which the upper portions of the faces l3 and I5 form an outwardly convexly curved junction.

The bottom face I!) is preferably covered with a layer of resilient material [8, such as rubber, cork or the like.

A cylindrical bore I9 arranged approximately centrally of the top face I! and bottom face I intersects the opposite side faces H and [2 of the tool. The bore I9 is of such diameter as to provide a chamber for the storage of a coil of abrasive coated strip material 20. A slot 2| extending angularly downwardly from the end face l3 and V 2 intersectin the surface of the here 19 nearest said end face 13 prov'idesa*p-assagewaythrough which a free end portion of the strip .243 is adapt.- ed to be threaded and brought into aposition "to embrace-the bottom face Ill and the :covering [8 so as 'to overlap the forward face portion M and the ledge It. "The end of'thestrip :20 overlapping the ledge 16 is secured against the :latter under pressure of a clamp havinga jaw :22 doinedas-at 23 to a second jaw :2 slida-bly confined in-asu'i-table recess 25 in downwardly spaced parallel :relation to the'ledge t6. AscreW ZG adjacent to the end ofthe recess 'facinglthe joint 23 :of the clamp provides a shoulder internally of the recess 25 engagea ble by a hump 21 formed in the 5] aw El to prevent accidental withdrawal of the clamp while permitting limited outward movement thereof to position the free end :of the clamp g'awZZ :acl'ear -of the-path of the strip 20 overlapping theiledge 'I'B.

Between the slot '2 I 'and'the portion of the top face I! directly above the siot'il, the side faces H and I2 are pierced by a recess 29 .to furnish a bearing parallel to the top-facetl"! fin which'the ends of :a pair ofarms wand '31 .ofsa yoke-shaped clamping member are supported tor rockmg movement between an operative positionstrad filing the ends of ithe' zbore vit!) has shown in lines in Fig. .11) and :an inoperative position uri ward'ly of the recess .fisand outwardly aofzthe; end face [3 :of the tool '(as shown .in-zdottedlinesdn Fig. 1) The swinging on free ends :of ;.the --arm=s 3Band flilzarejoined by-a transverse rarer ,vsihich in the "operative positionof the-clamp actstoiock .the strip .29 against a transverse groove Biformed ;-in the :end face [3 locatedapproximatelymidway 10f the slot 2| and the :bottom face of the tool. The portion @of the end :face it above the groove .33 :presents an outwardly offset shoulder about which the arms 30eand23d vare-yieldahly.extend- :able to allow the bar .3 2 to -be;snapped:into;a:-seated position in thezgrooveitt and'to berreBfliltEllQ- leased therefrom when it is desired pressure on the abrasive strip 20.

The abrasive strip 20 is accordingly firmly held in taut relation to the resilient coating l8 on the bottom face I!) of the tool by the positive clamping action of the members 32 and 22.

Each end portion of the upper face ll of the tool is provided with a depression 34 for engagement by a finger of the user so as to assure a secure and natural position for gripping the tool when either end of the tool is operated in a direction forwardly of the other end. A recess or depression 35 formed in each side face II and I2 3 and extending lengthwise of the tool affords further finger engagement to facilitate accurate manipulation of the tool.

Frequently, it is desirable to substitute a relatively hard backing or support for the abrasive strip rather than the resilient backing supplied by the coating 18. To this end the present invention contemplates a metal plate of such dimension as to present an area conforming to the contour of the bottom face of the tool and an auxiliary area forming an extension of said bottom face so as to provide a sharp angular nose or toe at one end of the tool. As shown in Fig. 1, the plate has a portion 36 forming an extension of the portion thereof overlying the face In of the tool. This portion 36 terminates in a rearwardly and upwardly bent lip 31 engaging the face I whereby the strip 20 overlapping the face H is presented in the form of an acute angular nose to facilitate entry to work areas of restricted dimension not accessible to the face M.

Fig. 4 indicates th position of the strip 20 overlapping the end face l4 when the metal plate is not used.

The modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 illustrates the use of a tool having a bottom face 40 terminating at one end in a bullet-like nose 4| and at the opposite end in a seat 42 for the jaw 43 of a clamp having a second jaw 44 slidably confined in a recess 45 in the manner of the jaw 24 of the clamp shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. In this form of the invention, an abrasive strip 46 has one end thereof gripped by the jaw 43 at one end of the tool while the opposite end of the strip is confined in a downwardly and forwardly slanting slot 41 formed in an upwardly facing ledge 48 at the opposite end of the tool. A rubber insert 49 provided in the nose of the tool provides a'cushion for the portion of the abrasive strip overlapping the nose of the tool as well as a resilient or yieldable member which cooperates with the strip to maintain the same in a taut condition.

What is claimed is:

l. A hand tool comprising an elongated block having a flat bottom face of generally rectangular plan and parallel side walls rising upwardly therefrom at opposite longitudinal edges thereof, said walls being joined at one end thereof by a transverse portion having an upwardly facing surface defining an upwardly exposed ledge intermediate the upper and lower limits of said walls, means for firmly securing a coated abrasive strip along said bottom face and in overlapping relation to said transverse portion and the upwardly facing surface of said transverse portion including a clamp having a jaw mounted for sliding movement in a fixed path perpendicular to said side walls and in spaced parallel relation to said bottom face and a jaw connected thereto adapted to engage a portion of the coated abrasive strip in underlying relation to said latter jaw.

2. In a hand tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said jaw of the clamp in engagement with the coated abrasive strip is provided with reversely curved portions in the direction Of its length.

3. In a, hand tool as defined in claim 1 wherein the first named jaw is mounted for slidin movement in a fixed path defined by a guideway formed in the body of the tool, and an abutment provided at the end of the guideway in the direction of the connection between said first named jaw and second jaw is engageable with an offset formed in said first named jaw to limit sliding movement of said jaws in a direction away from a position wherein the abrasive strip is engaged by said second jaw.

4. In a hand tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said flat bottom face of the tool includes a layer of resilient material and a detachable member providing a relatively hard surface intermediate of said layer of resilient material and said abrasive strip.

5. In a hand tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said flat bottom face of the tool includes a layer of resilient material and a detachable member providing a relatively hard surface intermediate of said layer of resilient material and said abrasive strip, said latter member having a coplanar extension terminating beyond the end limits of the side walls of the tool.

6. In a hand tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said flat bottom face of the tool includes a layer of resilient material and a detachable member providing a relatively hard surface intermediate of said layer of resilient material and said abrasive strip, said latter member having a co planar extension terminating in an acute angularly rebent nose portion beyond the end limits of the side walls of the tool.

7. In a hand tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said ledge and the bottom face of the block have converging terminal portions cooperating with a resilient insert bridging said terminal portions to define a bullet-like nose.

EARL C. APPLEGATE.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 123,888 Gernez Feb. 20, 1872 485,923 Gage Nov. 8, 1892 734,954.- Reissmann July 28, 1903 1,946,562 Wurfschmidt Feb. 13,1934 2,102,745 Read Dec. 12, 1937 2,435,335 Andrews Feb. 13, 1948 2,489,005 Bourdunis Nov. '22, 1949 2,492,602 Stenberg et al Dec. 27, 1949 2,569,253 Opland Sept. 25, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 632,823 France Jan. 16, 1928 

